My wife and I were exposed on Christmas Day by both of my parents who tested positive. We never really developed symptoms besides a little sneezing we chalked up to allergies and mentally thought we possibly had a little fatigue one day as we quarantined for 2 weeks. We decided to go get the antibody test today just to see. Hers came back positive for IGG and IGH antibodies which means she had it recently. My test came back negative for antibodies. How is this possible?

Off the top of my head, any of these is possible

1) The tests are inaccurate
2) The tests are calibrated to reduce false positive results (Selectivity vs Sensitivity)
2) She had it, you didn't.

It's also possible you're still fresh enough that you would test positive with a PCR test and haven't developed antibodies yet.

Thanks. As long as insurance will cover it I plan on getting a second antibody test maybe late next week or the week after. It's just bizzarre that I was in close contact with my parents on 3 occasions before (the day my dad spiked a fever), during and after Christmas right before their positive results came back. Then based on her antibody test, my wife had it (no major symptoms) yet I show no signs of having it. Worth noting my dad got a rapid test the day he spiked a fever (2 days before Christmas) and it came back negative but the next day he got a PCR and was positive (which results didn't come back until the Sunday after Christmas).

Gave blood 1/9. Scheduled my appointment online and no waiting. Got positive antibody results last week. Mrs oldcrow tagged along and gave as well but was negative.

Probably had it in October when I had a little cough and brain fog for a couple of days. No fever. Didn't notice loss of smell until week after cough went away.

oldcrow91 said:

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Gave blood 1/9. Scheduled my appointment online and no waiting. Got positive antibody results last week. Mrs oldcrow tagged along and gave as well but was negative.

Probably had it in October when I had a little cough and brain fog for a couple of days. No fever. Didn't notice loss of smell until week after cough went away.

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Thanks for giving! Now sign up to donate convalescent plasma!

I'm donating for my 3rd time, literally right now. I had covid last June and gulf coast blood center still shows me "covid antibody positive". If you want to know the truth on how effective and long lasting antibodies are just donate and see how they keep asking you to come back!

I'll check back in here to let you know when my antibodies are gone or no longer useful.

thirdcoast said:

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I'm donating for my 3rd time, literally right now. I had covid last June and gulf coast blood center still shows me "covid antibody positive". If you want to know the truth on how effective and long lasting antibodies are just donate and see how they keep asking you to come back!

I'll check back in here to let you know when my antibodies are gone or no longer useful.

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Nice! IIRC you had some trouble getting enrolled early on. Glad to hear it got worked out! You are doing s good deed! Thank you!

How long after Covid recovery can you do plasma. My wife is on day 8 and on the mends, and she plans to do that. Also, does giving plasma post-covid reduce your antibodies, or do they just reproduce. Bat signal for Vampire dude (SoulSlave).

Tabasco said:

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How long after Covid recovery can you do plasma. My wife is on day 8 and on the mends, and she plans to do that. Also, does giving plasma post-covid reduce your antibodies, or do they just reproduce. Bat signal for Vampire dude (SoulSlave).

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Happy to help. You are eligible to give plasma 14 days from the end of symptoms. It's kind of a vague line as sometimes it is hard to pinpoint an exact end to symptoms. But pick a day when she feels like she is over it.

My personal experience it is usually between days 10-14 from when symptoms started.

Our data does not show a reduction in titer with multiple donations. 90%+ of our donors maintain a similar titer from their first donation continuing through subsequent donations.

Thanks for being willing to give.

Great info... thanks!

Happy to help.

If you need finding a center, shoot me a line. I'll get ya set up.

SoulSlave,..

Would greatly appreciate your thoughts. I've been donating a double unit of platelets for a long time (I'm B- and negative for the Cytomegalovirus). I'm happy to donate as I assume over the years some of my platelets have found their way into little kiddos with cancer.

This past May, I was diagnosed with Covid. I'm fortunate that my lungs were fine, but I had all the other symptoms. After I cleared, I began to donate platelets. The blood bank (Medic in Knoxville) assured me they'd contact me after testing my blood so that I could donate plasma. The call never came. I donated a double in December, and expressed my frustration to the phlebotomist that I'd not been contacted. She pulled my record and it shows no antibodies.

Two days ago, I see my PA for a BP checkup, and I tell her about my experience at Medic. She tells me in some people the antibodies only last for three months.

Not holding you to the fire, but would you consider sharing your thoughts?

By the way, I donated another double unit today at Medic, and they no longer test for the antibodies. I wonder why?

By the way, thanks for what you do.

ToddyHill said:

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SoulSlave,..

Would greatly appreciate your thoughts. I've been donating a double unit of platelets for a long time (I'm B- and negative for the Cytomegalovirus). I'm happy to donate as I assume over the years some of my platelets have found their way into little kiddos with cancer.

This past May, I was diagnosed with Covid. I'm fortunate that my lungs were fine, but I had all the other symptoms. After I cleared, I began to donate platelets. The blood bank (Medic in Knoxville) assured me they'd contact me after testing my blood so that I could donate plasma. The call never came. I donated a double in December, and expressed my frustration to the phlebotomist that I'd not been contacted. She pulled my record and it shows no antibodies.

Two days ago, I see my PA for a BP checkup, and I tell her about my experience at Medic. She tells me in some people the antibodies only last for three months.

Not holding you to the fire, but would you consider sharing your thoughts?

By the way, I donated another double unit today at Medic, and they no longer test for the antibodies. I wonder why?

By the way, thanks for what you do.

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Happy to share awesome you are a baby donor an dthat you give platelets. Very much needed product!

In regards to antibodies, we haven't seen s large amount of convalescent plasma donors that eventually test negative for antibodies. However, I am one of the few like you who no longer test positive. My antibodies lasted until October, about 5 months.

We aren't sure why some last longer than others, but we also aren't really studying that as well.

I think I remember hearing about your struggle to get enrolled for plasma. Unfortunately being a new product line, some blood banks struggled to get the resources and regulations worked through timely, causing those issues.

In regards to current testing- the testing is expensive and now, it takes 2 tests to be able to label as convalescent plasma. We are continuing antibody testing through st least July, just because of demand in Texas for ccp. We have to keep finding new antibody positive donors to covert. They may hve a different experience in your area, and/or they have found another larger blood bank to import the product from for their hospitals.

I really want to share some of our data with you all, but our docs have it on lock down until they complete their research. Everything I share is just the preliminary reports they are giving us.

Thank you! You are way too kind to reply to me. And thank you for your input!

For what it's worth, today was a very frustrating experience donating platelets, and I suspect it is based on your comments. There were at least three or four plasma donors, and they went to the head of the class. Normally, when I make an appointment they take me at that time, or even a little before. Not today. A one hour wait. The plasma donors were the 'King Ducks' and they went to the head of the class. I have to say, I didn't take the news so well...and in addition to that, my counts were low so it took 125 minutes to donate a double.

Again, thanks for what you do..

Anytime. I am lucky that I really fell into this career and love what I do, so talking about to my Aggie family come natural.

Sorry to hear about that experience. Never a good customer feeling.

Our biggest issue right now is maintained appropriately staff levels to meet collextion needs. With covid exposures, quarantines etc and the fact that phlebotomy is a very technical skilled position, we are running thin and tired daily.

Really appreciate you persevering through the tough day. It means the world to a patient in your community.

God bless and gig em!

Why 2 tests, to rule out false positive?

Also, why is plasma king, is it just specific to convalescent plasma, or plasma in general.

Tabasco said:

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Why 2 tests, to rule out false positive?

Also, why is plasma king, is it just specific to convalescent plasma, or plasma in general.

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First test is a qualitative test, just a yes/no at the presence of antibodies.

Second test is a quantitative test that determines the antibody titer, or concentration. We then have to label it as either low or high titer.

In general- platelets are king. 5 day shelf life and there use age in cancer treatment and trauma is vital. They are hard to collect (as noted taking 2 hours for just a double dose sometimes) and hard to store (constant agitation, bacterial testing etc) and have a short shelf life (5 days from collection, but 2 days are held up by the bacterial testing).

However, demand for convalescent plasma is surging as a treatment for covid patients, we can't collect it fast enough to need patient needs. So right now, it is getting the king of the hill treatment to maximize the collections as eligible donors are few and far between.

Plasma in general is not used as much in transfusions as it used to be. We can generally collect enough from whole blood to meet patient demand (other than AB+ which is the universal plasma donor). It is also vital in manufacturing of further pharmaceuticals like IVIG and other immunoglobulins that help treat patients with immune disorders.

I'm AB+, so what would be the best for me to donate (I don't have antibodies... yet)

Convalescent plasma once you have antibodies.

Once we are past this covid pandemic. Platelets & plasma. You can do a combo donation and donate up to 4 doses.

ETA: this is also dependent on whether you are male or female.

If female, If you have been pregnant, and if yes, are you HLA pos or Neg.

Quote:

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It means the world to a patient in your community.

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Yeah, you're right, and I've had 24 hours to chill out. Yesterday, I was giving serious consideration to just donating whole blood, or double red blood cells. I read your reply and realized I had to move beyond that experience. Thanks for your comment.

Next time you go in, see if they will let you do a Combo donation. Depending on their machine configuration you can shorten the draw time by adding plasma to the donation. If you are doing a double platelet, you can usually do a double (450 ml-600 ml) plasma donation in combo with the platelets. This actually can decrease the needle in arm tome by 15-20 minutes sometimes.

It's what I generally do when I give and I'm usually only hooked up for about 90 mins.

Just got done with symptoms last week. What's the best way to go about getting signed up to donate here in BCS? I've always just donated when Gulf Coast would come to our office. But I don't work in the office anymore.

O negative. I'll give whatever type they want.

Jefe07 said:

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Just got done with symptoms last week. What's the best way to go about getting signed up to donate here in BCS? I've always just donated when Gulf Coast would come to our office. But I don't work in the office anymore.

O negative. I'll give whatever type they want.

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Gulf coast operates a neighborhood donor center in bcs on rock prairie road.

Www.giveblood.org

Just follow the link to enroll for convalescent plasma.

Thanks for giving.

Tested positive with mild symptoms 12/23. Reading this discussion, are blood banks testing for covid antibodies? Only certain ones? How do I guarantee that if I donate blood I will be tested? I have a phobia of needles, so making sure I get this right first time is very important to me. Also I'm female and have 2 kids - there is a possibility my blood cannot be used?

88planoAg said:

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Tested positive with mild symptoms 12/23. Reading this discussion, are blood banks testing for covid antibodies? Only certain ones? How do I guarantee that if I donate blood I will be tested? I have a phobia of needles, so making sure I get this right first time is very important to me. Also I'm female and have 2 kids - there is a possibility my blood cannot be used?

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Most blood banks are testing for antibodies.

If your username checks out and you are in Plano, then you can donate at any Carter bloodcare center. All donations are tested.

In regards to use ability. Your red cells are always needed and useable. It is the plasma/platelets that depends on whether or not you are HLA positive or negative.

If you go to a CBC center and let them know you would like to have an HLA test as well, they can run it along with your donation.

If it comes up negative, we convert the plasma into ccp, and use the red cells for general inventory.

If it is positive, we still can use the red cells, but the plasma is not transfuseable so we will utilize it for further manufacture into other products.

Thanks for the info and the prompt reply. I meant to include in my post - I am in the San Antonio area, closer to Boerne.

So does every female that has had kids need the HLA test? I would assume they do it regularly without asking if so, right?

88planoAg said:

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Thanks for the info and the prompt reply. I meant to include in my post - I am in the San Antonio area, closer to Boerne.

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Your best options would probably be SOUTH Texas blood and tissue, based in San Antonio or We are blood based on Austin. I believe both of those are testing every unit, but they may have different HLA protocols that I can't speak for.

Tabasco said:

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So does every female that has had kids need the HLA test? I would assume they do it regularly without asking if so, right?

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If they want to donate convalescent plasma, platelets or Apheresis plasma, yes we have to run the HLA test.


In the normal course of whole blood donation, we don't run an HLA test unless the donor wants it so they can donate platelets or Apheresis plasma. The test isn't cheap and whole blood derived plasma (other than AB+) is generally not in a supply crunch.

I received the second pfizer dose 1/4//21. I donated blood 1/22/21 and my test results show I do not have covid antibodies. Any docs want to weigh in on this?

I'm not a doc, however, we anticipated this would be the case for our testing system. The current test for cc19 antibodies is to detect a different type of antibody than that formed from the vaccines.

The vaccines Initiate a response to
The spike protein of the virus rather than the entire virus and our test isn't specified to those antibodies.

SoulSlaveAG2005 said:

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Tabasco said:

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So does every female that has had kids need the HLA test? I would assume they do it regularly without asking if so, right?

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If they want to donate convalescent plasma, platelets or Apheresis plasma, yes we have to run the HLA test.


In the normal course of whole blood donation, we don't run an HLA test unless the donor wants it so they can donate platelets or Apheresis plasma. The test isn't cheap and whole blood derived plasma (other than AB+) is generally not in a supply crunch.

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Just so I'm clear... for reference I am AB+ and have not had covid (no antibodies). I think you said I should do platelets and plasma, right? You referenced recently that "whole blood derived plasma (other than AB+) is generally not in a supply crunch." So when I go to blood center, tell them platelets and plasma, right?

Tabasco said:

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SoulSlaveAG2005 said:

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Tabasco said:

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So does every female that has had kids need the HLA test? I would assume they do it regularly without asking if so, right?

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If they want to donate convalescent plasma, platelets or Apheresis plasma, yes we have to run the HLA test.


In the normal course of whole blood donation, we don't run an HLA test unless the donor wants it so they can donate platelets or Apheresis plasma. The test isn't cheap and whole blood derived plasma (other than AB+) is generally not in a supply crunch.

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Just so I'm clear... for reference I am AB+ and have not had covid (no antibodies). I think you said I should do platelets and plasma, right? You referenced recently that "whole blood derived plasma (other than AB+) is generally not in a supply crunch." So when I go to blood center, tell them platelets and plasma, right?

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That is correct. As someone who is AB+ (and I am assuming male), your optimal donation is apheresis platelets and/or plasma.